 |
| Image courtesy: Sportspromedia.com |
With preparations in full
swing, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s highly anticipated
event.
The Big Event: Where, When, and Why
Scheduled for April 17-21, 2025, Rwanda Arsenal Fans Community (RAFC) is pulling out all the stops to make this year’s AAFF a
memorable one. With an itinerary full of fun, charity, and football action, here’s a
sneak peek at what to expect:
17th April – Early Bird
Welcome: Early arrivals will be warmly welcomed by the hosts with
transportation and care arranged to ensure everyone is settled in comfortably.
18th April – Official Welcome
Party: The festivities kick off with a fun-filled welcome party at the
Kigali Universe. Delegates from all participating countries will be introduced,
with cultural exchanges to showcase the rich diversity of African heritage as
well as country acknowledgment.
19th April – Charity Event:
This year, the festival focuses on mental health and recovery in post-genocide
Rwanda. The event will kick off with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial
site then followed by charity project launch at The Aheza Healing and Career Center,
a local organization dedicated to supporting survivors who will receive
fundraising efforts.
20th April – Memorial
Tournaments & Match Screening: Fans will gather to watch and
participate in two football tournaments. The first will be the annual Emma
Memorial Tournament to commemorate the late Dr. Emmanuel Hafishamana, one of the RAFC
founders. The second tournament will be in honor of fallen colleagues from
Kenya; Mr. John Areba and Mr. Peter Mazito.
Get ready for an action-packed day at the Kigali Universe, where football fans will be treated to an electrifying match screening! The spotlight will be on a high-stakes showdown between Arsenal F.C. and Ipswich Town F.C. Arsenal, currently holding strong in second place on the English Premier League table, is just 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool. With a thrilling quarter-final clash against Real Madrid set for April, Arsenal's season is far from over—there’s still plenty of excitement and drama to come.
There will also be a leadership
session after the match where country representative leaders will review the
festival and vote for the following years’ hosts.
21st April – Late Bird
Leisure Day: For those who leave late, this will be a free day for
relaxation and exploration in the spirit of #VisitRwanda
 |
| Rwanda Arsenal fans with an invincible legend |
Where Fans Will Stay (And How to Book)
Accommodation is already booked,
though payments are still pending. Fans are urged to confirm their bookings
with the designated hotels to avoid any confusion. “If you’ve booked outside
the designated hotels, please remember you’ll need to arrange your own
transport to the venues,” said Ben Mugabo, the festival’s Events Manager.
However, don’t worry about
transportation! There will be designated airport pickups, and bus park
arrangements to ensure easy access to the event venues.
Ben Mugabo also mentioned, “For
those flying with Rwanda Air, we still have discounts available. Make sure to
book before March 30th, 2025, to take advantage of these offers!” Interested
travelling fans can reach out to their country representatives who will share
with them the information about the travel agents who are involved.
For the visiting fans who are yet to make
their hotel reservations, they can refer to the Arsenal Africa Fans
Festival 2025 – Registration and Booking Form.
The Charity Focus: Supporting Mental
Health Recovery
At the heart of the AAFF is its commitment to giving back. This year, the AAFF is putting a spotlight on mental health support, particularly addressing the psychological scars left by the 1994 genocide. The Aheza Healing and Career Center has been selected as the beneficiary, with the goal of establishing a teleconference room where doctors from abroad can provide live counseling, training, and support to local counselors.
Ben Mugabo shared an exciting update:
“We’ve already raised over $6,000 for the project, and the setup has
started! We hope to raise the remaining $6,000 before the charity day.” With setup already underway, the
goal is to have the facility ready before the charity event in April, which
will coincide with a one-week genocide commemoration.
The center focuses on helping
survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, many of whom continue to suffer from
the emotional aftermath. The festival’s goal is to provide ongoing support and
create long-term healing strategies for the people of Rwanda.
 |
| Rwanda Arsenal Fans at a past match screening in Kigali |
As we approach the festival, fans from
all over Africa are eagerly reaching out with their questions and suggestions.
Here are a few questions raised during the recent Arsenal Africa Football Chat session:
Adam Kelly from South Sudan to the organizers; “Can you provide a
breakdown of the hotel costs and the schedule of activities? It would be helpful
to attach this information to the photos countdown to remind everyone,” he added.
In
response, Ben confirmed that the festival’s activities schedule is being finalized and will
soon be shared with all attendees. “The final schedule will be distributed
to all members once the info pack is updated.”
Adam
also mentioned that the South Sudan Football Federation is aware of the event
and will be supporting South Sudanese fans traveling to Rwanda for the
festival. “We
want to ensure that our providers have a clear understanding of the activities
planned, so the communication is accurate,” Adam asserted.
Additionally,
Adam informed everyone that the entire South Sudan Team will be using road
transport to get to Rwanda, and the final travel details will be shared by March 31st, 2025.
Gamel Abubakar from Ghana: “When should we wear the full Arsenal jersey? Also, can you clarify the cost of goat meat? I’m very interested in sampling local delicacies!”
Ben clarified, “On the introduction
day, we encourage everyone to wear their cultural attire or Arsenal
t-shirts/jerseys. For the charity and match screening, we encourage fans to
wear their full Arsenal jerseys.”
As for the goat meat, Ben gave a quick
laugh and said, “A big he-goat will cost around USD 80, but I will confirm
the price based on where it's being bought!”
A proposal was made for attendees to wear their
country’s traditional attire during introductions, embracing Africa’s cultural
diversity. Ben appreciated the idea but confirmed that they’d be looking into
incorporating it into the event schedule. “We’ll take this back to the
organizing committee and confirm which day this can be incorporated,” he
said.
 |
| Arsenal fans at the AAFF 5th edition in Dar es Salaam |
Football, Culture, and More: The Full
Experience
Irene from Uganda raised
an important question about the inclusivity of the football tournaments: “Will
women be allowed to play, or will there be a separate game for netball?”
Ben assured everyone that women too are
encouraged to participate in the football matches. Fans who wish to participate
in the tournaments are asked to bring suitable footwear for the matches. Although
due to the lack of a netball court at the selected venue, a basketball pitch
would be available for the women’s games.
Lulu from Zambia, raised a logistical
concern: “Do we need to pay for the hotels three weeks in advance?”
Ben clarified, “Payments to the
hotels will be accepted as from the third week into the festival day, but not
to worry because you can also pay upon arrival at the hotels.”
Jacob Katumba from Uganda raised an
important question about the tree planting initiative: “Is the tree planting
exercise still on?”
In response, Ben Mugabo confirmed that
the initiative is indeed on track and will take place during the charity day. “The
tree planting exercise has been scheduled, and seedlings will be provided by
the host, RAFC,” he said.
Fans are encouraged to wear
comfortable shoes on the day, as Ben clarified that gumboots are not necessary
for the activity. The focus is on sustainability, and this tree planting effort
will add a meaningful environmental touch to the festival.
 |
| AAFF 2025 Organizing Committee |
A Final Word on This Year's Festival
This year’s Arsenal Africa Fans
Festival is shaping up to be one of the best yet! Whether you're attending
for charity, football, or the chance to connect with fans from all over
Africa, this event is not to be missed.
As Butera Jesus, one of the
organizers, put it: “We’re excited to meet fans from across the continent.
It’s going to be a fantastic time of celebration, culture, and of course,
football!”
- Football enthusiasts can expect live event
coverage, with media teams exploring the best way to incorporate this.
- A Rwandan traditional dance performance is
being considered for the welcome party.
- AAFF 2025 merchandise will be available,
with proceeds supporting the charity project.
- RAFC will be sending out an invitation to Rwanda’s President, H.E. Paul Kagame, who is an avid Arsenal supporter. While
his attendance is uncertain due to his schedule, high-ranking government
officials are expected to grace the festival.
- Arsenal journalists or representatives
from London may cover the event, pending confirmation.
With discounts on flights, a powerful
charity cause, cultural celebrations, and football tournaments, AAFF 2025
promises to be a memorable event for all. Stay tuned for more updates as we
count down the days to the festival!
Ready to join the action? Don’t forget to
pack your Arsenal jersey, your cultural attire, and your excitement for a truly
unforgettable festival in Kigali, Rwanda!
Let’s make AAFF 2025 the best
edition yet!
Shout out to Dr. Kelechi Anyikude who was in Rwanda for Rwanda vs Nigeria FIFA qualifiers.
Yours in football, Your girl,
Lisa Biwott
Follow on X - Rwanda Arsenal Fans Community
Follow on Instagram - Rwanda Arsenal Fans Community
Official hashtag for the AAF2025
With utmost regards and sincere appreciation to:
RAFC Organizing Committee
President Bigango Valentin
Vice President Hussein Nziza
Event Manager Ben Mugabo
Vice Coordinator Christian Rudahinyuka
Daiddo Rucyahana
The writer of this article is a lifetime goonerette, who attended all the first five editions of the Arsenal Africa Fans Festival in Dar es Salaam x2, Kigali, Mombasa, and Kampala
